The World Food Photography awards have announced their 2026 winners, featuring stunning images that capture the essence of food across the globe. From farming and harvesting to cooking and celebrating, these photographs offer a unique insight into the lives of people worldwide. A free exhibition of all 203 finalist images will be held at the Mall Galleries in London from Wednesday 3 June to Sunday 7 June.
Overall Winner: A Woman Eats in the Canteen of the Soviet-era Sanatorium
The overall winner, Jo Kearney, captured a poignant moment at the Khoja Obi Garm sanatorium in Tajikistan. This brutalist concrete structure, built on hot radon gas-infused springs, once provided Soviet workers with two weeks of annual holiday. Today, it offers affordable stays at $28 per day, including full board and treatments, attracting ordinary Tajiks, tourists from neighbouring Stans, and backpackers. The image depicts a woman eating in the canteen, highlighting the blend of history and everyday life.
Category Winners and Highlights
Festival of Food Enthusiasts
Pingyao Song won the Champagne Taittinger food for celebration category with an image from a gourmet festival organised by China's Zouchuan Hotpot brand. The photo shows hundreds of food enthusiasts gathered around a communal banquet, with the rich aroma of red broth simmering with chilli peppers, fermented bean paste, beef tallow, Sichuan peppercorn, and spices. Participants savour fresh ingredients like beef, tripe, luncheon meat, and tofu, while some livestream the bubbling pot.
Candied Pear
Anne Mason-Hoerter won the Bimi prize for her unique image of candied fruit. She sliced a pear thinly, boiled the slices in sugar water until transparent, and dried them on paper. The final image was created using sugar water, a pear slice on a glass sheet, and coloured plastic in front of a table lamp, photographed from multiple angles and combined in Photoshop.
Proven Recipe
Balázs Lehóczki captured his grandparents in their kitchen for the Philip Harben award for food in action. He had planned the image for six to seven years but postponed it, feeling unworthy. When he saw the photograph, his grandmother called him an artist.
Chhath Puja Offerings
Indigo Larmour won the Jamie Oliver youth prize (ages 13-17) with an image of food offerings during Chhath Puja. Devotees stand in bodies of water, praying to the sun god Surya. The Puja is predominantly performed by women and is vibrant and colourful, especially in rural settings like West Bengal, India.
In the Depths of the Deposit
Juan Miguel Ortuño Martinez won the Louis Jadot wine photographer of the year (people) category. The image shows Pedro cleaning the underground tanks of a winery, using pressurised water to remove wine remains, while his partner lowers a bucket with a sponge to collect leftovers.
The Open Air Hotel
Mithail Afrige Chowdhury won the World Food Programme food for life category with a photo of an open-air restaurant owner serving food to customers in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She sells at low prices so daily labourers from Gabtoli coal station can afford it.
The Final Touch
Michela Balboni won the food for the family category with an image of little Asilbek touching hot bread straight from the family tandoor in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The bread, known as non, is round, dense, with a thick chewy crust, marked with black sesame seeds.
Chip n Ladies Day Out
Maggie Jary won the on the phone category with a spontaneous capture of four women enjoying a bag of chips at Beamish open-air museum in County Durham. The image portrays the power of friendship and a joyful moment shared.
Dust Journey
Serkan Dogus won the food in the field category with an image of sheep returning to Mount Nemrut after milking in a village. Every morning, hundreds of sheep arrive from high pastures for milking, and at sunset they set out again, beginning their dusty journey.
Kyoto Street Vendor
Kara Baird won the street food category with a split-second shot at Nishiki market in Kyoto, Japan, in September 2025. The image captures the energy and intensity of the packed market, with barely any space to stop.
Early Morning Catch, Hooghly River
Marco Rutten won the bring home the harvest category with a sunrise image beneath Howrah Bridge, showing a small crew hauling nets on the Hooghly River. River fish are everyday food and income, sold in nearby markets and prepared that morning in Bengali kitchens.
Twin Bridesmaids Enjoy Canapes
Emma Stoner won the Champagne Taittinger wedding food photographer category with an image of twin bridesmaids enjoying canapés of Proper crisps at Jess and Tom's wedding in Devon, UK, in May 2025.
Irebero Miller
Glenn Vanderbeke won the politics of food category with a portrait of a female miller processing grains into cornmeal at the Vocational Training Center Irebero, where single women are trained as millers.
Campari Barmen
Marie-Louise Moutafchieva won the world of drinks category with a chance capture of a barman and waiter in white tuxedos at Camparino in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan. She described it as being in the right place at the right time.
Ine Fishing Village, Kyoto, Japan
Albert Gonzalez was shortlisted for the cream of the crop category with an image of squids drying in the sun using the traditional Japanese technique of himono in Ine fishing village, Kyoto prefecture.
A Moment in the Kitchen
Sadia Sikandar won the UK for UNHCR food as home category with an image of a restaurant owner in the UK. Having lived away from home for seven years, she finds home in a place where she feels welcome and valued, making good memories.
Granny’s Welcoming Gift of Love
Kellie Carter won the Claire Aho award for women photographers with an image that affirms the true meaning of family. Home is sustained by generosity, where love is expressed through making, sharing, and showing up. Granny's smile, fresh baked cookies, and a cold glass of milk brighten even the bleakest days.
At the Register
Daniel Kwak won the James Beard Foundation photography award with a portrait of a moment of respite at Hadja Marley, an authentic Senegalese eatery in Brooklyn. The image captures the daily rhythm of life on Fulton Street, focusing on staff and traditional West African flavours that bring the community together.
No Hands No Cutlery
Simon Biffen was shortlisted for an image of friends at a wedding at the Royal Crescent Hotel, enacting a traditional race to eat dessert without using hands or cutlery. The winner celebrated emphatically while others attempted to finish with varying success.
